The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 barred all prisoners in the U.S. from receiving Pell Grants. Until that time, this need-based federal grant program had been the primary source of funding for prison higher education programs throughout the country. Virtually overnight, all but a handful of such programs shut down for lack of funds. By 1996 fewer than ten such programs existed - down from a high of 350 in the late 1980's. The college program at San Quentin was started in 1996 in the wake of this disaster. With a few volunteer instructors, donated textbooks, and no budget whatsoever, a professor from UC Davis, administrators from then-Patten College, and education staff at San Quentin, created a plan for a small college program at the prison. They started with two classes.



Patten University at San Quentin conducts three 13-week semesters per year, with approximately 12 classes each semester in the humanities, social sciences, math, and science. Students who complete the entire 60 unit curriculum can earn an Associate of Arts degree in liberal arts. Each student must hold a GED or high school diploma to enroll. To date, 60 students have completed their degrees while at San Quentin and many more are now continuing their studies on the outside.



The Program also provides a comprehensive College Preparatory Program in math and English, which prepares beginning students to do college level work.



The After Prison Advising Program (a project of the California Reentry Program) provides pre-release academic advising for students who plan to continue their studies after leaving prison.



Most of the roughly 70 instructors, teaching assistants, guest lecturers and tutors who participate in the program in a given semester are graduate students or faculty from the University of California at Berkeley, San Francisco State University, Stanford University, and other local colleges and universities. All work on a voluntary basis.



The cost of all program materials and supplies, as well as the salaries of the Program Director (Jody Lewen) and Program Administrator (Jennifer Scaife) are paid through funds raised independently by the Prison University Project from individual donors and foundations.